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Topic : 01/29 Extreme Weight with the Doctors

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Created on : Friday, January 25, 2008, 01:18:26 pm

Author : DrPhilBoard1

The Doctors are in the house! Dr. Phil’s team of medical experts, including OB-GYN Lisa Masterson, family therapist Dr. Tara Fields, pediatrician Dr. Jim Sears, plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Ordon, and E.R. physician Dr. Travis Stork, come together to address some weighty topics. How many times have you tried to shed pounds but failed? Obesity in America is one of the fastest-growing epidemics. First, meet Kevin, a father and husband who weighs over 700 pounds and spends 95 percent of his day in bed. Cameras follow him on his first-ever plane trip, and you won’t believe what it takes to get a man of his size to the Dr. Phil studios. Will the journey pay off, or is this self-proclaimed food addict beyond help? Then, Alfreda was at one time considered obese at 350 pounds, but after bariatric surgery, she now weighs 175. Instead of feeling overjoyed at her dramatic weight loss, Alfreda struggles with rolls and rolls of extra skin. Can she get the body she wants by going under the knife? The Doctors speak candidly on these stories and the top health news of the day. Get in on the discussion!

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How do you know if a bariatric surgeon is excellent?

To bariatric surgery patients:

Please go to www.surgicalreview.org before selecting your hospital or surgeon. Surgical Review Corporation's mission is to promote the delivery of bariatric surgical care with the highest levels of efficacy, efficiency and safety. SRC evaluates bariatric hospitals and surgeons for the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Bariatric hospitals and surgeons that meet specific patient and program requirements are listed on SRC's website for your reference. All ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence designees make a commitment to quality improvement and research.

kevin overweight

When you lay around eating moon pies and items that are unhealthy it no wonder you put on more weight. You could do exercises in bed,cut back on food.I have a hard time feeling sorry for him when he wont help himself.

Bariatric Surgery Is No Answer!

Kevin, it's time to wake up! I had gastric bypass at the young age of 19, back in 1982, & while it was successful for me, I have paid a very high price for it, & continue to pay the price. In the last year alone I have had 3 stomach expansion procedures because I've suffered a collapsed gastric pouch. I have suffered with severe constipation (because I can't digest the fibre necessary to properly function), painful hemerroids, constant vomitting, severe heartburn & acid reflux. Not to mention the excess skin that I have been left with - and this continues to make you feel fat & ugly because you have this ugly, excess skin that you can do nothing about (unless you have lots of money for plastic surgery). You can imagine the toll all of this has taken on my physical and emotional well-being.

I can't stress to you enough, take what is being offered to you, it is the right choice, it will give you a healthy, long-term answer to your current weight challenges - You can do this Kevin, you've got an entire Nation behind you!

a fatal result of bariatric surgery

Just last month, my Mom's younger sister died at age 60 due to complications from bariatric surgery. I don't remember the exact date of the surgery, but it was approx. the end of Sept/beginning of Oct. From what I understand, after the surgery, a patient is put on an all clear liquid diet for at least a month to allow the abdomen and organs to heal. My aunt was entirely faithful to the diet; however, she never found out that there were limitations to certain liquids she could consume. After a few weeks of drinking gallons of cranberry juice, her already-wounded stomach developed an ulcer because of the acid content. It quickly became a bleeding ulcer. She was in and out of the hospital from that point, needing a number of emergency surgical procedures, but they seemed to be just "stamping out fires". The day after Christmas, she came home feeling well--the doctor himself drove her home and was pleased at how well she seemed. The next day she called the ambulance as she was weak and couldn't breathe. thy found she had 2 bloodclots and a collapsed lung. In the ambulance she had a heart attack and died within hours.

I know it's a terrible story and I certainly don't tell it to scare anyone. I still think that, as a last resort, it's a viable option.

I tell this so that I can possibly help someone else avoid this same situation. The doctors and nurses didn't cause my aunt's death. Neither did she cause it herself--on the contrary, she wanted very much to live and be healthy. What I think caused her death was simply not knowing enough about the "little" things. She certainly knew the risks of the surgery, anesthesia, etc. Who knew that she needed to ask about the risks of cranberry juice?

I agree...

When you lay around eating moon pies and items that are unhealthy it no wonder you put on more weight. You could do exercises in bed,cut back on food.I have a hard time feeling sorry for him when he wont help himself.

They said this man has been severely overweight for over 25 years. At what point do you acknowledge there is a serious problem and address it? 400 lbs? 500? 600? Really?? It took this long to realize there was a problem? And to the wife- I'm torn on my feelings. Part of me thinks you must REALLY love him to take care of him the way you have to. BUT, part of me was yelling at the TV "STOP FEEDING HIM THAT CRAP!!!!"

Gastric bypass

I think that Kevin may have the feeling of being incarcerated in his own body. I hope he can lose the weight. I have to believe that Kevin has had some help along the way to get this heavy. And I can understand how that happens.

My late MIL was obese(5'2" 275 pounds) She loved sweets and ate them on a daily basis. After 60, she developed diabetes and had to take medication. She still continued to eat her sweets and had trouble with her blood sugar. Then she was diagnosed with Althziemer's. her daughters tried to limit her intake of sweets. My late FIl would sneak them to her and my SILS had to constantly be on guard and intercept them. My poor MIL at one stage of the Althziemers knew they were monitoring her sweets and hid some Polar Bars in her bedroom closet. I tried to talk to my FIL about her eating sweets and her blood sugar and how dangerous it was, and he would just smile and say nothing. He had been married to her at the time for well over 50 years and he just couldn't deny her those sweets.

So sometimes family members are contributing to bad eating habits and can't seem to say no,even in the most dire situations. You know, my FIL died and my SILS took care of thier mother the last 3 years of her life. As the time passed her diabetes improved to where she didn't have to take medication. She also lost about 135 pounds. It's sad to know that these things only happened at the end of her life.

I just wanted to say that gastric bypass is not any easy way out. I had gastric bypass 14 months ago. I have lost 120lbs. All of my medical issues I had before I had surgery are gone. Its the best thing I could have done for myself and not mention for my family.

If only it were that easy..

When you lay around eating moon pies and items that are unhealthy it no wonder you put on more weight. You could do exercises in bed,cut back on food.I have a hard time feeling sorry for him when he wont help himself.

You are right in the fact that he needs to change WHAT he eats but as far as the exercise goes, it will take a lot more than just doing exercise in bed! Did you know that you can be morbidly obese and undernourished? He probably needs lots of the proper food. I will go out on a limb and speak for this unfortunate man and say that he probably doesn't want you to feel sorry for him in the first place, but for Pete's sake at least try to UNDERSTAND and don't go on perpetrating myths about those who are obese.(they eat too much, too lazy to exercise etc...)

my mom died not wanting to hurt her drs. feelings.

the only treatment was getting were pain pills. i begged her to see someone else. her reply to me ? "well, i don't want to hurt his feelings dear". after many trips to the e.r. and drs offices with my children it finally awned on me that somebody graduated at the bottom of the class and i seemed be hittin' everyone of them. in on instance i was told my daughters back was fractured. after a trip to a specialist i was confirmed that she ad pulled a muscle a week and half later she was fine. another time my son had lateral something syndrome in his leg and as given many exercises to do. two days later he couldn't walk on a trip to a specialist revealed a severe fracture. thank god for the head of the class.

What Do You Expect?

I had a baby eight months ago and am about 15 to 20 pounds overweight still. I hope to be back into shape by the time summer comes. Unfortunately where we live it has been abnormally cold this year so getting back into shape has been difficult. However, when I eat lucky charms at night and have a zinger for lunch that's my fault. This man while I feel sorry for him I can't really be suprised with his diet. I hope that they can help him but the main thing is you have to have some self-control. You can't eat that much and be suprised that you weigh that much. I'm unhappy about the way that I look and I will get it off and soon but with a lot of hard work and self-discipline. I feel sorry for his wife. I'm not sure that I could do all that she does for her husband. I hope that he gets things taken care of but I can't say I hold out much hope.